As of a while ago, the government of the Dominican Republic responded by rectifying the situation created by the judicial ruling. The government has created a path for naturalization and citizenship. The author of this article is WRONG to suggest that President Medina should grant immediate citizenship to those affected. It is FIRST necessary to show proof of true eligibility. It is necessary to verify true claims from false claims of individuals with fake documents. This is no different than when the United States has provided amnesties to illegal immigrants in the past. The individuals had to show proof and were given time to come up with that proof. Shortening the timeframe will only make it harder to obtain the proof needed.

I COMMEND the Dominican government for taking action to fix their illegal immigration situation. That is more than I can say for the American government. There are stateless people in the United States today (namely from Europe). Comprehensive Immigration Reform could have fixed this problem, yet the law has failed to pass and is opposed by many Americans.

The biggest mistake the Haitians made, because of hate and resentment, was to get rid of the colony's French. When the French left, also left the investment, the leadership that kept the colony up and running and the international assistance that was available to them because of the presence of them. They didn't understood that the political and economic power was and still is in the hands of the whites.

With all do respect Haiti is a 4th world country, the Dominican goverment has all the right to deny legal documents to illegals. I am a second generation British national and I cannot provide UK citizenship to my kids and my father is British. What about that on the other hand I am half Dominican and I agree with this legislation and why should a British media as the Economist should even have the gaul to exploit this issue, SHAME ON YOU!!!!

To the Editor (continued):
In its decision to abide by Ruling TC/0168/13, enacted on 23/9/2013 by our Constitutional Tribunal, the DR Government has reiterated its utmost respect for our Constitution, our laws, and the separation of powers.
The Ruling ordains the implementation of our legal provisions on migration and nationality, which have been in place since 1929, complemented with the Bilateral Migratory Agreement of 1939 between the DR and Haiti, which states that all descendants of Haitian migrants in the DR are Haitians, as provided for in the Haitian constitution. Thus, no Haitian descendant can be stateless in the DR, unless of course its own government refuses to provide the documentation it has failed to issue to millions of Haitians in their own country.
Dominican President Danilo Medina has committed himself and his entire administration to finding a humanitarian response to the situation of the 24,392 descendants of undocumented immigrants from 117 different national origins, which were found by the Central Electoral Board to need regularization of their nationalities.
This number of persons represents less than 0.3% of the entire population of the DR and less than 3.5% of the total number of immigrants living in the DR. Incidentally, only 13,672 persons identified are descendants of undocumented Haitian immigrants. None of the other 116 nationalities are raising the slightest objection to the Ruling or its implementation.
Both UNDP and the EU have recognized our sovereign right to implement our migration and nationalization policies, expressing their hope that any problems that may arise can be resolved with calmness, moderation and dialogue. Even Haitian President Michel Martelly, addressing the issue for the first time in public, recognized in Kingston on 14/11/2013 that it is one for DR authorities to resolve.
In implementing Ruling TC/0168/13 expeditiously, not one person needing regularization of his or her status will be deported. On the contrary, those who lack documentation will be provided with temporary immigration cards, thus initiating their path towards obtaining a legal presence in the DR.
Other Caribbean countries may be pulling no punches. They should remember, however, that several CARICOM Member States, most notably Trinidad-Tobago, benefit from a growing trade surplus with the DR. Several, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, have received also major DR investments in sectors such as beer, metallurgy and sugar. Our relationship is clearly a positive one for CARICOM through increased exports, FDI inflows and job creation, which are of crucial importance in these times of regional economic downturn.
CARICOM’s attitude betrays an insufficient assessment of everything the DR has done and is doing for Haiti. A region which can not implement its own treaty-level provisions on free circulation, which deports Haitians upon arrival or which refuses treatment in their hospitals to other CARICOM nationals should rather look deep down inside itself in search for answers to their own contradictions, instead of criticizing the DR, the only country generating opportunities for all, specially for Haiti.
Respectfully,
Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo, PhD
Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in London.

Very brave and well state piece, Ambassador, particularly the fact that gets ignored the most, "no Haitian descendant can be stateless in the DR, unless of course its own government refuses to provide the documentation it has failed to issue to millions of Haitians in their own country." This would be, for instance the equivalent of the United States giving all Ireland illegal immigrants residency cards and having Ireland publicly campaign complaining to the United Nations and NGOs that their citizens are not made Americans, which means their citizens are, Irish. In this case Haitian government complaining about their citizens not becoming Dominican, when they are Haitian by birth, and denied Haitian nationality.

To: The Honorable Ambassador Cuello Camillo
Thank you for providing all of us with intelligent discourse and facts on this matter. You make me PROUD to call you my fellow Dominican compatriot!
Please seek to have your comments published in an Op-Ed in newspapers worldwide. The world needs to know the facts and real truth amidst all this negative anti-DR campaign. God Bless!

The Economist was biased in 1861 against Lincoln's war of emancipation, Margaret Thatcher's political future in 1975 and Apple's prospects after Steve Jobs' second coming. So it is not surprising to see it joining the global campaign against the sovereign decisions of the Dominican Republic on matters of migration and nationality.

Unlike Haiti, the DR is a multicultural, multiracial country. Even before our first independence—from Spain—in 1821, we were first in the Americas to host a community of maroons running away from slavery in French St Domingue. Well before the US, we received hundreds of Germans of Jewish descent. More recently, thousands of Haitians came to our hospitals after the earthquake of 2010 and stayed on to recover in Dominican homes.

Just like Tayllerand wrote about treason being a matter of dates, so are atrocities in Hispaniola. Unlike Mandela, who chose reconciliation to avoid the economy of the graveyard, Haiti chose upon independence to destroy its colonial production, redistribute land in micro-sized lots, practice slash and burn agriculture and chop down 98% of its forest coverage. So now they have no farms of adequate size, no fertile lands, no trees and of course no rural jobs.

No mention is made about what happened to the white or mulatto population during and after their independence; what happened to the DR population during the many Haitian invasions of the 19th Century, before and after our second independence—from Haiti—in 1844. No mention is made, either, of the fact that the DR has never invaded Haiti, before, during or after our third independence—again from Spain—in 1865.

There is no need to refer to the over 30,000 Haitians who died as recently as the government of "Papa Doc" Duvalier, whose policy of “negritude” did so much to expel most educated Haitians in the 1950s and 1960s to countries such as Senegal, Canada, France or the US.

The unacceptable international campaign against the DR fails to recognize that—excluding Haiti—the DR generates more jobs for Haitians than the entire rest of the Caribbean. This is so, in spite of the fact that Haiti signed the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas in 2003, which provides for free movement of skilled and professional personnel as well as for contract workers on a seasonal or project basis for all members of CARICOM.

The DR is fully attached to the rule of law, respect for human rights and complies with all its international treaty obligations. It is a country with a longstanding tradition of nondiscriminatory access to public services.

It is in DR hospitals where Haitians are giving birth to their babies—1 out of every 5 children born—given the fact that the majority of hospitals in Haiti are private. About 18% of the health budget covers the needs of Haitians seeking services in our hospitals.

It is in DR schools that Haitians are educating their children—2 out of every 5 children in many of our public schools—given the fact that the majority of schools in Haiti are private. Thousands attend our universities, paying local rates. 15,000 of those are able to study with full scholarships from the DR government.

It is in the DR that Haitians are exercising most of their civil rights, including access to the judiciary on a non-discriminatory basis, given the fact that many judges have yet to be appointed in Haiti. Moreover, Haitians suffer from longstanding difficulties for obtaining birth certificates, identity cards, voter-registration cards or passports, which, when issued, cost in excess of US$500 altogether, in the poorest country of the Western hemisphere. It is because of these difficulties that elections in Haiti are decided by just 12% of the voting age population.

Since you wrote "unlike Haiti, DR is a multicultural society" you let me no choice than jumping in. Anyone with access to Google Earth or a plain map would understand how Alizé, the dominant winds in our region offer a free ride westward making of the Caribbean a crossword of civilizations where it's people speaks english, spanish, dutch, french, etc. After independence, Denmark & Germany broke away from the embargo imposed on us, later joined by Belgium that we helped create ( wonder why Brussels & Haiti share the same " Union fait la force" on their flag) and Russia. European historians agree that the first US occupation in 1915 was motivated by the level of integration & power of the German community in Haiti in the context of WWI - a fact an insider can still feel and decode even today. This impression was confirmed during WWII when Washington invoked the TIAR (french acronym for Inter American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance) so President Lescot would force them away to Brazil & Paraguay far from the US "fears of that mix of German pragmatism & Haitian nationalism". Note that our army, no offense, the most storied in the Caribbean, didn't provide any troops, unlike many others in the region, to the conflict, although we hold dear our Jewish community which dated back to C. Colomb & inquisition. The southwest region of Haiti saw the first synagogue of the Americas and explain the name of the town of Jérémie, the city of poet named after the prophet. We largely catchup by putting all the strength of our diplomacy to support the creation of the state of Israel.

Haiti has always been open to foreigner. The French? They never left. I know, I can tell. I was one of them. Make no mistake. I'm a proud Haitian. With the most aristocratic french name. That I still hold dear. Regardless, we fought hard for independence. Because everybody had one reason to fight. For the rich and white in St-Domingue, it's was the opportunity to brake free from the heavy handed central gvt & the freedom to trade while French laws impose them to sell to the state in France. St-Domingue wasn't the only French region who wanted to opt out. It's the only one who succeed.
Under the tropics everybody wanted so much to sell to the young Union at a better price. The situation became so tense that under the leadership of President John Adams, the US Congress soon passed the Toussaint L'ouverture Bill to address the situation, lifting the embargo against France for boats departing St-Domingue ports and providing much needed supply for our glorious army, victorious of the Spanish & British . For that matter indeed, the French gvt abandoned us, wishing we'll all be slaughtered or claiming so; their soldiers whining about yellow fever, while nobody ever complain. Not even children and women. JJ Audubon himself who was born & spent his teens on the island never get sick, despite being raised in what was then mangrove in southern Haiti.

The second half of the 19th century brought a new generation of immigrants mainly from Syria and Lebanon, then Italian started showing off.

My own story wouldn't be possible without that openness. A quick glance around my the family table look very Caribbean indeed. My Chinese grandfather found my afro-american grandma whose grandfather himself like thousands, left Charleston for Haiti in 1868 knowing all of our 19th century constitutions grant citizenship and protection for any persecuted soul, the minute you set foot on our soil. From my father side, I inherit from Leonidas Afro-French lineage & grandma Taino' s heritage.

Haiti is no exception. Yes, we have problem. The last 50 years have been toxic for the Haitian dream. We're kind of trapped today. We know the price of history. But Haiti, my lost paradise, remains one of the oldest country on earth. Do you think we wouldn't survive hell if the bond that seals us wasn't that strong, like the ideals of the forefathers. The difference between DR & the whole Caribbean is they are the only country which went trough history with no link whatsoever or past associated with slavery and black at large, which make them the only non-Black Country in the region. Only Indio. So Every black in DR must be Haitian. Yesterday, a well-to-do friend of my mind (she's VP of a big corporation) thinking aloud ask me how genuine the DR reactions to Mandela death might be ? Anyway, thank U DR. You help light up my people spirit. Thank you for showing your true colors.

"How genuine DR reactions to Mandela might be..." Really? You are going there? We are showing our true colors??? Really? In that case, A lot of your brothers and sisters are as well: biting the hands that feed them.... We are also getting a good look at what your true intentions are.

After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Dominican Republic (a poor country of people of color) “opened its doors” and let in many earthquake victims into Dominican hospitals to be treated by Dominican doctors free of charge. Matter of fact, Dominicans took charge to transport the victims into the country. The Dominican Republic also built a university in Haiti.

Our great Dominican merenguero Johnny Ventura PROUDLY boasts about being a BLACK man in the song “Caña Brava.” That was as long ago as the late 1970’s. Nearly 40 years ago. So you are WRONG to say that all Dominicans think of themselves as “indo.”

República Dominicana and Haití are siamese impossible to separate them, although they do not want to live together. The solution is not easy, perhaps in next century a new caribbean Nelson Mandela will create only one country in this beautifull island. Fortunately now Mr. Medina is doing it well without listen tips of Trujillo's heirs.

What's really at stake here is: How will modernizing and finally putting order to the chaos that has reigned on the island regarding border control and personal identification/citizenship impact regional developments?

If Haitians will henceforth find it difficult to continue to filter into the DR, where will they go to?

I think that the recent incident in the Bahamas gives us the answer: Haitians will shift away from the DR and go to the other islands and nations along the Caribbean basin. Some have reached even Brazil!

Haitians need to change their constitution to make sure that their people derivive Haitian nationality for many generations such as what Italy does. And they need to come up with an adequate National ID system to register its people.

This will continue to become a problem as Haitians make their way to other countries like Brazil, Peru, and the Bahamas.

So 200,000 people of Haitian descent or undocumented status are being questioned.

What about the over 200,000 Slaves living in Haiti?

Slavery Today explores some of the places where slavery is still common and ... are linked to the 200th anniversary of the slave revolt in Haiti in 1804. However, that did not end slavery in the country and, today, there are 200,000 Restavecs children

And:

"Lundahl argues that the two main causes can found in the interaction between the growth of the population and the destruction of the arable soil on the one hand, and in the creation of a predatory state during the nineteenth century, which still exists to this day."

The Political Economy of Disaster: Destitution, Plunder and Earthquake in Haiti (Routledge Explorations in Economic History)
--Mats Lundahl, 2013

1- DR was not the one who brought African slaves to the West side of Hispaniola. The French did, not to mention all the gold and the silver the French took that land to enrich the French empire.
2- DR was not the one who imposed Haiti's infamous debt to France. The US and France did.
3- DR was not the one who imposed a blockade or embargo on Haiti. The US did it soon after their independence for fear Haitians might provoke more insurrections in their slaves and other slaves in Latin countries.
4- DR was not the one who supported the 28 years dictatorship of Duvalier and his son, Baby Doc, killing between 30,000 to 60,000 Haitians. Yet they talk about Trujillo, who's grandmother was half Haitian.
5- DR was not the one who started to import Haitians to work on the sugar plantation in DR; the US did. That's why I don't blame DR for being HOOKED ON SUGAR, because unfortunately that's what drove the country's economy for many years. I blame DR for not stopping it sooner.
6- DR was not the one who took out Aristide from power. The US did by stopping all humanitarian aid, investments, food and money supply to Haitians. Just like they do when they don't like certain leaders and hey want them out.
7- DR was not the one who caused Haiti's earthquake. NATURE did, but Haitians indirectly contributed to their many disasters by deforesting their own land to a jaw dropping 98%.
8- DR was not the one that attacked Haiti. Haiti attacked DR, for whatever reason, after DR obtained its independence from the Spanish. It's in every history book about the subject.
9- DR was not the one who cruelly and unmercifully ruled Haiti for 22 years, trying to eradicate its French and African heritage.
10-DR was not the one who converted Haiti in what it is today, a true hell.

So it's obvious that someone has to be blamed and hold responsible for all those the atrocities against the Haitian people.
It's easy to call Dominicans racist and accuse them of hate. But that's the argument of those who lack legitimate reasons to accuse a humble nation and full of joy and that only has been generous to an ungrateful people throughout the years. No other country has helped Haiti more than DR, not even the US.

It's time for people to see the truth in all the defamation and diplomatic attacks by world powers against the DR: a plan by to force DR to assume the Haitian problem, even a fusion. They are united because none of them want to confront the result and consequences of their own making. Countries don't voice or talk about fusion directly. But they talk by NOT doing what's required of them to restore Haiti's governmental functioning.

First, a story always have two sides.
The medias are obviously all on the same one.
Did they go to the DR and talk to the people?
On both sides? Ah well.

So if you are born is the DR, went to school,
have a job, own a place, and pay what you have
to, then, there's no problem.

But if you are an illegal immigrant, or born from illegal parents, don't work, don't speak Spanish, don't have a place to stay, don't pay your taxes, then, they ask you to go back.
Is that right?

Then, it that case, who is right or wrong? Who's the ''bad guy''? What would they do, in other countries with illegal immigrants who don't work and don't pay their taxes? You tell me.

In the DR, there's a lot of Haitians who are born there, work there and have their life there. The ruling doesn't even affect them. But if they crossed the border illegally or their parents did, have no paper,don't speak the language, don't study or work or have a place to stay, then,the decision directly affects them. But again, if the DR is the
bad guy, what would other countries do in that case? Again, you tell me.

The law is retro-active to 1929. So DR has had "illegals" living on its land for 84 years, and the authorities did nothing about that until now?
The so-called "ilegals" are/were brought into the country with the complicity of the highest authority, including several Dominican Presidents, and they have fueled DR's development and raised its living standards.
The remedy offered, the "naturalization" of people born and raised in DR over more than 4 generations, shows the irrationality, the absurdity of the Dominican position.

If, as you say, they ''have fueled DR's development and raised it`s living standards'', again, the ruling doesn't apply to them. If they work there, study, pay taxes, and help with the economy, they are not affected. Get the story straight. We are talking about the rest of them. You know, just like everyone else who has been there, that there are a lot of them also who don't work, don't study,crossed the border illegally, don't contribute to the local economy, etc. Again, what would other countries do in that case? Let's have an example. You have illegal immigrants in England. They are born from illegal parents. They don't do anything. They don't learn the language, they don't work, don't pay rent, don't study, etc. For years. Years after years, the numbers of illegal immigrants are rising. The country decides to do something about it. And then, the whole world gets upset at the unfriendly England because they want them out.... Really? Now, the British are called racists and blablabla and everyone read the headlines of the papers and decide to join the movement. The majority of people don't even know what they are talking about. Get the true info people!

Let's say a man killed another man 40 years ago, but just yesterday investigators said they found the killer, and he's alive. Now, should the police arrest the killer and charge him homicide, or should the police forget about the crime he committed because it happened long time ago?

Your inferences and comparison to England DO not apply. There's no welfare/dole in DR: If you don't work, you die of hunger.
Every "illegal" that crosses the border into DR contributes to the local economy. Illegals do work, better and harder than natives. The proof of this is that employers prefer them. And they do pay taxes; which are collected from their pay, when they get paid. Employers in DR often simply refuse to pay because they know illegals have no recourse.
Illegals can NOT study without proper papers, it's part of what makes them "illegal".
By what measure do you consider 4 generations of people from the same family) born and raised in a country "illegal"? What has the government been doing? Part of a government's job is to secure a country's borders and have laws that are followed. DR's government is complicit in the situation, because it was easier to exploit people if they are considered "illegal". Furthermore DR's own constitution made it clear that people born and raised on its soil are citizens.
Only children born to diplomats are considered "in transit" for 3 months, not 84 years.
Follow your own advice: Get the true info.

Thanks for the reply. It's too bad because it could have been a great debate. But with comments like "illegals do work, better and harder than natives", this is just low. I'm not for or against anyone, I'm just trying to express my opinion so everyone can see both sides. I'm in the DR. I have friends, legal, illegals, Dominicanos and Haitians. Some of them work, some of them don't. Some of them study, some other don't. On both sides. When you say things like "every illegal contributes to the local economy", you know, just like everyone else, that it's simply not true. You come see for yourself. You go visit a Batey or two. If all the Mexicans or Guatemalans in North America decide to stay illegally after their cheap agricultural contract that none of the American citizen are doing, then, what should happen? What if they find them years and years later? What are other options possible to stop illegal immigrants? That's all I was asking.

As serious as the situation may be for some Haitians in the DR, the misplaced outrage of the Haitian government, the disinformation spread out by NGOs and the preposterous racial positioning across the board can only bring more instability. Haitians are in the DR because the situation in their country is untenable and the DR provides free healthcare and education. The Dominican government should do more to protect their rights, but the media campaign under way is nothing else than a foreign push to review a national constitution. Ordinary Dominicans are starting to perceive this as a threat to their national sovereignty and are in disbelief as every solution offered falls on def ears. Stuck between industries profiting from cheap haitian labor and an overtaxed public welfare system open to non-nationals, everyday Dominicans can easily become intolerant. The fact that over a million Haitians have obtained the Dominican nationality in the past century leads me to believe that those concerned with the ruling have little to worry about. The 500000 Haitians working in the DR, however, risk having to go back to a much tougher job market, thanks, in part, to their Government and complacent media.

The sugar industry back by DR gvt open the pandora box. Bypassing the usual migrant convention of the 70's & 80's so they can best exploit those poor souls & dump them on the border, literally, with the shirt on their back after years of hard labor. Now a UN-backed census ( EN I02012) "provide accurate data on the number of refugees...and.... record basic information such as gender, age, nationality, place of current residency, family details." Immigrants naively comply, registering with mobile phones, providing photo and GPS . Haitians numbered 458,233, black Dominicans 209,912. Now, not every Haitian crossed the border to work. Some 30,000 attend various higher education institutes, idem for intra island tourism bringing much needed hard currency, not to mention the $2B some of us did invest in your economy if I have to believe the Dominican ambassador to Haiti. This is 2014, the world economy is interdependent so is ours. So we taught. Dominican firms work in Haiti & we import more than $1.6B ( 2012 CEDOPEX) from DR. But since we can't export to DR even the goods we send to USA, Canada & Europe, we think the next step we should take is to look for alternate suppliers . And seal this back door. The border. Unless....?

We are a black nation just like Haiti.
Our founding father Francisco Sanchez was of African origin. The builder of this nation, Trujillo was of Haitian origin and one of most popular leaders, Dr. Jose Fco. Peña Gomez was a black Dominican of haitian origin. All three of them held dear to their hearts our flag, language and culture.
Haitians get free health care in DR, jobs and a decent place to leave.
If they want our nationality, then follow the law and request your adjustment to legal residents.
I do feel that taking away the Dominican nationality retroactively to the few that had it is a mistake.

I swear this whole Haiti vs DR thing pisses me off, 80% of Dominicans share the same African blood as hatians but instead y'all want to fight n rule each other. Both countries are to blame for this ridiculous hatred for one another. Haiti occupied Dr for 22 years slaughtered dominicans and tried to take away their culture, Dr gained independence and slaughtered hatians then brainwashed themselves into thinkin tht African blood has nothing to do with them lol as if they have mahogony and dark skin from being 100% Spanish Smh or they try to say it comes from indians Lmao that's BS because the Indians/tainos did not survive those Anglo diseases which is why Africans were imported...sorry to break it to you Dominicans but a lot of you are African and sorry Haitians but those Dominicans are your brothers and sisters....its time y'all come together and build tht island up to the glory it should bask in...

Haiti did NOT occupy "DR", Sir. When Haiti took over the Eastern part of the island in 1822 to keep the French from re-invading and re-imposing slavery, THERE WAS NO DR! Only an abandoned Spanish colony representing a threat to the newly independent Republic of Haiti.

It was Saint-Domingue, in the west, governed by France; and Santo Domingo, governed by Spain. Haiti became independent and occupied Santo Domingo (present day DR)for 22 years. Haiti imposed heavy taxes on the people of Santo Domingo, forbade white elites from owning land, and Santo Domingo's people were being treated like 2nd class Citizens. They had restrictions of movement, prohibition to run for public office, night curfews, inability to travel in groups, banning of civilian organizations, and the indefinite closure of the state university.
Obviously Santo Domingo's denizens grew sick and tired of it and finally drove the Haitians out and became present-day Dominican Republic.

NOBODY FORGET that Haiti was a country founded on racism, and now it came back to bite them in the rear. Dominican Republic is moving forward and leaving Haiti behind. They don't want Haitians and they don't need them.

Ignorant comment, DR first obtained its independence from Spain in 1922 " called independencia efimera because it only lasted a couple of weeks due ti the Haitian occupation. So there was a DR before Haitian occupation.

Ignorant comment, DR first obtained its independence from Spain in 1922 " called independencia efimera because it only lasted a couple of weeks due to the Haitian occupation. So there was a DR before Haitian occupation.

Brothers? We're not brothers! Haitian blood doesn't have anything to do with our country's sovereignty, auto-determination and ruling. Haitians must build their own country, like we Dominicans are doing, because there's no solution to the Haitian problem in the DR. I know you don't like to hear it, but that's the plain truth.

Sir, the former spanish colony of Santo Domingo declared its independence from Spain in 1821 as "Haití Español" and requested admision into the Republic of Gran Colombia founded by Simon Bolivar. This never happened as Haiti's Jean Pierre Boyer invaded shortly afterwards. So yes, the DR did not exist at the time, but there was no longer an abandoned spanish colony as you state.

Everyone do need to know what we endure as the first independent black nation. They think being Haitian we are some type of creatures,In reality they are the ones hurting humanity, specially us with the injustice.

Let me tell you, no Haitian want to be a victim. That doesn't stop the rest of you to make us feel like some either way. I attend school and I can't tell you how many comments are thrown at me about being Haitian like I'm suppose to be offended. I don't mind being called Haitian,in fact I'm a proud Haitian, but saying it as in insult is a completely different story/message. We don't want to be victims, well you need to stop making us feel like some.

I am sorry, but you have a choice to act like a victim or not.... Many are acting like victims and lying to get the attention of the press. I would love to know what school you go to. Frankly, I think you are just lying....

yo, of course administrators don't allow it and of course If I was to complain they would deal with it. It's just that I don't know why but they seem to think Haitians are suppose to look and behave a certain way. A kid who obviously almost missed his bus and was rushing came to school with wrinkled close and this kid goes " Dude u looking Haitian! " and a teacher in the school was giving us the example, we even had a Haitian producer come for teach in to talk about the issue. This is offending, why is it so hard to believe racism exist in a very modern way even today. Obviously your Dominican what you've never been told that you couldn't do certain things for no giving reason that at least make sense?

And I don't know how many Haitians you've met but, I don't know any Haitian who would bow down and act a certain way for the press or any body else. We carry ourselves a certain way and we are proud of it.